Thomas Narock

Using semantics to extend the space physics data environment

The space physics data environment is evolving with the advent of virtual observatories. With the primary function of most virtual observatories being data search and retrieval, an emphasis has been placed on providing value-added data processing services. That is, creating web services that take discovered data and provide common and routine processing such as coordinate transformations and data sub-setting. As these services proliferate, finding, accessing and using them no longer becomes a trivial task. This paper discusses a semantic registry that enables the searching of these services via ontology. We discuss the benefits of such a registry and illustrate how the web and application programming interfaces benefit the space physics community.

Space weathering investigations enabled by NASA's virtual heliophysical observatories

Space weathering by the plasma and energetic particle radiation environment of the heliosphere contributes to the physical and chemical evolution of exposed surfaces on airless bodies such as the Moon, asteroids, comets, and icy bodies of the outer solar system. The Multi-Source Spectral Plot (MSSP) service of the NASA Virtual Energetic Particle Observatory (VEPO) enables enhanced access and comparative global heliospheric analysis of ion flux spectra from the past and present fleet of interplanetary spacecraft for modeling of space weathering effects. Commonly red colors of low-inclination Classical Kuiper Belt Objects may be the result of specific compositional origin and spectral irradiation effects in the outer heliosphere. VEPO also enables easy comparison of flux spectra to check intercalibration issues.